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Elite forces of the BW Marine

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    Elite forces of the BW Marine

    When we talk about an elite unit on the forum we are usually talking about GSG9. I think that we need to broaden our scope and talk about some other elite units. With the down sizing of the BW, and the Marine section seems to have been hit particularly hard, the Marinesicherheits units have gone the way of the Do Do bird and become extinct. The Marine still has some ground based forces and they are divided into two groups. The SEK M (Spezialisierte Einsatzkraft Marine) and the MSK (Marine schutzkrafte). There is an outline of these two units below followed by some pictures. The text is from an article date 2008 and there may have been some changes since then.

    Regards,

    Gordon

    Special Operations Forces

    To meet its boarding party requirements, Germany draws soldiers from a special operations formation, an integral part of the Bundesmarine's Spezialisierte Einsatzkräfte Marine (SEKM, Specialized Forces of the German Navy).
    Based at Eckernförde, near Kiel, the SEKM was formed in 2003 and includes about 650 soldiers. It provides three distinct fields of special operations expertise: combat divers, land/sea mine warfare specialists and boarding teams.
    Located alongside the SEKM at Eckernförde is the Marineschutzkräfte (MSK), or force protection group, created in 2005 and tasked with protecting Bundesmarine and other assets against terrorist attacks on land and in littoral environments, as well as against conventional threats. MSK numbers about 600 soldiers.
    The current major commitments for the Bundesmarine's special operations units are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), for which it is tasked with preventing weapon smuggling off the Lebanese coast, and Operation Enduring Freedom. The SEKM also has been involved in homeland security, such as during the G-8 summit in Heiligendamm in 2007, but it is off the Horn of Africa where the Bundesmarine is confronting piracy and naval terrorism.
    The SEKM has long operated specialized equipment, including the Heckler & Koch P11 underwater firearm and LAR underwater breathing apparatus. In addition, it is due to receive the Rheinmetall Infanterist der Zukunft – Erweitertes System (IdZ-ES, Future Soldier – Enhanced System).

    The first two pictures show the SEK M boarding parties practicing their tasks.
    Attached Files
    Last edited by Gordon Craig; 11-26-2010, 12:22 PM.

    #2
    You may have noticed mention of an underwater firearm used by the SEK M. I was not aware of the existance of this "firearm" until I started to research this article. Here is some info on the HK P11.
    Heckler & Koch P11

    HK P11
    HK P11 with a test device attached
    TypeUnderwater Pistol
    Place of origin Germany
    Production history
    Designed1970s
    Produced1976
    Specifications
    Weight1.2 kg (2.7 lb) loaded
    Battery pack 700 g
    Length200 mm (7.874 in)Width60 mm (2.362 in)
    Cartridgeabout 100 mm (4 in) long, miniature solid-fuelled rocket with finsCaliber7.62 mm x 36
    ActionElectric actuated
    Effective range30 m in air, 10 to 15 m underwater
    Feed system5 rounds, each in a barrel
    Sights14.6 cm between sights
    The HK P11 is a Heckler & Koch pistol designed as an underwater firearm. Since ordinary-shaped rounds are inaccurate and have a very short range when used underwater, this pistol fires steel darts about 10 cm long. It has five barrels, each of which is loaded with a cartridge, giving the gun a pepper-box appearance, and it is electrically ignited from a battery pack in the pistol grip. After firing all five cartridges, the barrel unit must be sent back to its manufacturer for reloading. It is very similar to its predecessor, the Mk 1 Underwater Defense Gun. In the past, Heckler & Koch has denied knowledge of its existence.
    This firearm is somewhat bulkier than its Soviet counterpart, the SPP-1 Underwater Pistol, but it has five barrels as opposed to the Soviet firearm that has four.

    Regards,

    Gordon
    Last edited by Gordon Craig; 11-26-2010, 12:20 PM.

    Comment


      #3
      Gentlemen,

      A You tube video of SEK M UDT Team (Minentaucher) training.

      Regards,

      Gordon

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yrjQ82qt78

      Comment


        #4
        Gentlemen,

        Some photos of the SEK at work. The first picture shows them returning to the Barbe Class Landing Craft that had brought them a shore for their mission. The second photo shows the deck of the Barbe Class Landing Craft.

        Regards,

        Gordon
        Attached Files

        Comment


          #5
          More photos of the SEK at work. One ashore and preparing to move on their objective in a NATO manouver and the other starting on a mission in a fast boat. These boats are used both by the SEK M and the SEK.

          Regards,

          Gordon
          Attached Files
          Last edited by Gordon Craig; 11-26-2010, 01:36 PM. Reason: correcting typos

          Comment


            #6
            Gordon - Excellent thread. I especially appreciate the information on the PK-11.

            Here is a picture of the Soviet equivalent hanging up in the Tech Museum at Koblenz. Steel darts...........

            All the best - TJ
            Attached Files

            Comment


              #7
              TJ,

              Thanks for the kind words. I thought that you might be interested in the KH11. Nice pictures of the Russian equivalent.

              Regards,

              Gordon

              Comment

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